Alstroemeria plant named ‘Jessica’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alstroemeria  plant named ‘Jessica’, characterized by its compact and uniformly mounding plant habit; sturdy and strong plants; vigorous growth habit; large dark orange red and yellow-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Alstroemeria hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘JESSICA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, typically as a potted Alstroemeria plant, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Jessica’.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Chichester, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact potted Alstroemeria plants with uniform plant habit and attractive flower colors.

The new Alstroemeria plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Chichester, United Kingdom in June, 2009, of a proprietary selection of Alstroemeria hybrida identified as code number T 19, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as code number 231/8, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Alstroemeria plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Chichester, United Kingdom in May, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Alstroemeria plant by tissue culture in a controlled greenhouse environment in Roelofarendsveen, The Netherlands since October, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Jessica’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Jessica’ as a new and distinct Alstroemeria plant:

-   -   1. Compact and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Sturdy and strong plants.     -   3. Vigorous growth habit.     -   4. Large dark orange red and yellow-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria are taller than plants of         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of female parent selection have         pale pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria are much shorter than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have orange-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Natalie’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,801. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Chichester, United Kingdom, plants of the new Alstroemeria differed from plants of ‘Natalie’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria were larger than plants of         ‘Natalie’.     -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had longer leaves than plants         of ‘Natalie’.     -   3. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had slightly larger flowers         than plants of ‘Natalie’.     -   4. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and ‘Natalie’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Natalie’ had white and red-colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Alstroemeria plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Alstroemeria plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Jessica’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Jessica’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Alstroemeria grown during the summer in 21-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Chichester, United Kingdom and under cultural practices typical of commercial Alstroemeria production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 20° C. and night temperatures averaged 14° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Jessica’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Alstroemeria hybrida identified as code number T 19, not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Alstroemeria             hybrida identified as code number 231/8, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness; fleshy; color, close             to 155C.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; dense.         -   Rhizome description.—Shape: Elongate; rounded. Length: About             3 cm to 7 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Texture:             Smooth. Color: Close to 155C. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Compact and uniformly mounded; freely             branching, dense and bushy appearance; sturdy and strong             plants; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 25 cm to 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 38 cm. -   Stem description:     -   -   Aspect.—Mostly upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.         -   Internode length.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, sturdy.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; below the peduncles in a single             whorl; sessile.         -   Length.—About 7.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137C; venation, close to N138B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single cup-shaped flowers arranged in             compound umbels; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly;             freely flowering habit; about six to eight flowers per             inflorescence; about 15 to 100 flowers developing per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 6 to             14 weeks after planting; in the garden, flowering is             continuous from the late spring until frost in The United             Kingdom.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About two to three weeks on             the plant; about one to two weeks as a cut flower; flowers             not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 145C.         -   Flower diameter.—About 7 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 6.4 cm.         -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each             whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Size, inner             perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 4.5 cm. Width,             lateral segments: About 1.8 cm. Length, median segment:             About 4.1 cm. Width, median segment: About 1.6 cm. Size,             outer perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 4.2 cm.             Width, lateral segments: About 3.1 cm. Length, median             segment: About 4.5 cm. Width, median segment: About 3.4 cm.             Shape, inner perianth, all segments: Lanceolate. Shape,             outer perianth, all segments: Obovate. Apex, inner perianth,             all segments: Cuspidate. Apex, outer perianth, all segments:             Embedded point. Base, inner perianth, all segments:             Attenuate. Base, outer perianth, all segments: Cuneate.             Margin, inner perianth, all segments: Entire to finely             crenate. Margin, outer perianth, all segments: Finely             crenate. Texture, inner and outer perianths, all segments:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, inner perianth: When opening,             lateral segments, upper surface: Close to 45C; center, close             to 1B. When opening, median segment, upper surface: Close to             45C. When opening, lateral segments, lower surface: Close to             46A; center, close to 1B. When opening, median segment,             lower surface: Close to 46A. Fully opened, lateral segments,             upper surface: Close to 33B; center, close to 21B; stripes,             close to 175A. Fully opened, median segment, upper surface:             Close to 33B; stripes, close to 175A. Fully opened, lateral             segments, lower surface: Close to 34C; center, close to 13A;             stripes, close to 173A. Fully opened, median segment, lower             surface: Close to 34C. Color, outer perianth: When opening,             all segments, upper surface: Close to 45C. When opening, all             segments, lower surface: Close to 46A. Fully opened, all             segments, upper surface: Close to 34A. Fully opened, all             segments, lower surface: Close to N34C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 14 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 30° to 45° from vertical.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 cm to 6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 15° to 20° from peduncle             axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About             six. Anther length: About 8 mm. Anther shape: Oval. Anther             color: Close to 164B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:             Close to 22A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 4.2 cm. Style length: About 3.6 cm. Style             color: Close to 45C. Stigma color: Close to 45A. Ovary             color: Close to 144A.         -   Fruits.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Color:             Close to 143B.         -   Seeds.—Seed development has not been observed on plants of             the new Alstroemeria. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Alstroemeria plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain     and temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 25° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Alstroemeria plant named ‘Jessica’ as illustrated and described. 